Well even with our safety rules all set in place and posted. Someone didn't pay close enough attention. We had our first bike accident and everyone scrambled for the emergency kit.

Angela hardly ever gets hurt but when she does. She does it well. She took off on her bike to fast. That was her first mistake. The bike slid on the rocks and gravel next to the road. She went flying off of the bike. She scraped both knees, her wrist, her ankle and her shoulder.

Daddy was the first one to her. He swooped her up in his arms and headed toward the house. After checking her out to make sure there was no broken bones and the bleeding areas were just minor scrapes and scratches.... more

Trampolines. Are they fun? Yes. Are they safe? Good Question.

As summer gets closer you will see trampolines popping up all over your neighborhood. It is one of the new fun things to do in our area. However, depending on good nutrition and the physical health of a lot of children, this is one activity that I would recommend caution on.

When purchasing a trampoline try and find one with the safety sides included. They are about fifty dollars more than the regular buy, but well worth it in safety factor in the end.

Understand that if neighborhood children play on the trampoline you are liable for any injuries caused. Your home insurance will consider your thought... more

When we lived down state, my home was always full of the neighborhood kids. One of the boys I just adored. He came from a troubled home and without his grandma they would have ended up in foster care.

So he and his sisters hung out at our house with my kids a lot.

This morning I got a phone call. It was him on the line. He said "Shar" and his voice broke. He was in tears. The nurse took the phone and explained that he and two others were out in his car and they were doing fish tails. The cops clocked them at 80 mph. R.J. was driving and the car flipped.

R.J. was pretty beat up by the accident and so was the girl in the front next to him. But Cory (my neighbor's... more

The one thing I have found most in all of my years of being around children is they all need tender loving care, even the toughest child with a disposition of me against the world. They need TLC the most. The harder they try to push you away, the closer they need you to draw them in.

It may take humor or a friendly smile, sometimes a pat on the back, and always a compliment of some kind. But step by tiny step you can eventually get even the coldest child to warm up to you.

They are looking for what they have never had before: stability, consistency and friendship.

Eventually they will learn to trust that your smile and your words are constant. They will feel that... more

Summer is just a Spring away. Everyone is getting outdoors and working in the yard. The kids are grabbing bikes and basketballs and heading to the neighbors to play or to the park.

The days are looking more beautiful and lasting a little longer at sunset. All the more reason to make sure you up date your medicine chest and replenish the Emergency Kits. There are sure to be a lot of booboos on the way.

A good Emergency Kit will include:

1). Band Aids 2). Ace Bandage for sprains 3). 4x4s for cleaning and covering wounds 4). Surgical tape 5). An Anticeptic cream 6). Cortisone Cream 7). Peroxide or other cleansing liquid... more

In a day of cheeseburgers and fries or pizza and bread sticks, a lot of our teens are not getting the good stuff they need to keep the body growing healthy. Even if mom is making good nutritious meals, at least one of the kids will be off somewhere else doing something and miss the good stuff. So it is really important to make sure you have good nutritious on the go snacks on hand.

I have learned to put a few baby carrots and grapes along with a few slices of chunk cheese into a sandwich bag and just keep them on hand in the fridge so that the kids can grab and go. Sometimes I will do peanut butter and banana or celery bags too. Just depends on the day or what everyone is having... more

Some of what I may say in this article will be graphic and it could offend someone but it is not meant to. Today I will be dealing with the subject of "Teen Sexual Habits."

Recently my daughter and her friend were sitting and discussing one of the parties they had been to. They were talking in the open so I am not breaking any type of confidence. I also have their permission to discuss this topic with all of our readers.

My daughter told of a young man who exposed himself right in front of everyone. He told her how much he wanted her. Right in front of all the other people. The kids just laughed it off. My daughters "birth sibling" brother was there and he didn't do a... more

She stood there in the dark. I heard her sobbing. I asked her what was wrong. She didn't answer. All I could hear was silent crying.

I got up out of bed and walked over to her. I knelt down beside her. I smiled and took her face into my hands. She looked at me. My heart broke for her all I wanted to do was hold her. But she was so new to my home. I simply asked her if I could have a hug.

She hugged me. Clung to me and I sat down on the floor and pulled her into my lap. We just sat there and I let her cry. She cried for almost an hour. My gown wet with her tears. She began snubbing. No more tears to cry? I asked her softly. Then we both started to... more

Well as Spring is nearing and Summer is just around the corner, it is time again to remind the kids of all the Summer Safety Rules.

I try to tell my kids to always use the buddy system when going any place away from home. That means take a friend, a brother or a sister. If one of you sprains and ankle or gets hurt or someone bothers you, then the other can go for help.

When getting your bike out, tighten up all the things like your bike seat, handle bars, and check the tires for proper air fill.

Remember protective gear like helmets, knee and elbow pads. Keep a whistle, bottle of water, and a snack with you in a back pack or pouch. Then you will be ready to ride... more

As parents we spend most of our time making sure that our family has everything it needs. Clean clothes, good nutrition, good medical care, love and nurturing, and discipline.

It is a big responsibility to be in charge of a little person's life. You want to spoil them at times and you want to encourage them. Most of all you want to keep them safe from harm's way.

But what if they themselves are "harm's way?" What if the choice they are making are not good. What if the drama goes way beyond the point of reality?

First things first: Is this behavior a call for attention? It is most always a call for help. Is this behavior normal? Is it... more